Around The Blogs 2014-03-30

Lots of links tonight.

# # #

I recently came across an article from 2011 that's nevertheless very useful for those who store emergency supplies.  It's at the Survivalist Blog, titled 'Strategic Shopping: A Month-by-Month Analysis'.  It looks at what's likely to be on sale or better-priced during given months.  Useful information if you're shopping for larger quantities (or families) on a tight budget.

# # #

I'm sure that by now, most readers are aware that California State Senator Leland Yee, a virulently anti-gun and anti-Second-Amendment legislator, has been arrested by the FBI for alleged corruption and dealing in illegal firearms.

Larry Correia, my longstanding online and meatspace buddy, author and blogger, has written one of his wonderfully funny articles about the not-so-good Senator.  He casts him as a super-villain of the 'Big Trouble In Little China' variety.  Great fun!

# # #

Another recent discovery is 'Planck's Constant Blog' (apparently referring to this mathematical constant).  The author has some very interesting articles on economic matters.  Here's a brief selection:

• The Shrinking Toilet Paper Mystery and the Fake Inflation Report
• Hiding Inflation in a Pound of Coffee
• Buying Empty Space in Products Creates a Low Fake Inflation Rate

All are worthwhile reading, and educational to boot.  Recommended.

# # #

Another longstanding blogging buddy, Matt G., links to a very sad and moving article by a blogger who's dying of cancer.  She describes what it feels like to arrange her own funeral, and the weirdness of feeling the disease growing inside her.  Powerful stuff, and very worthwhile reading.  Please don't forget to say a prayer for her, too, and for the husband and young children she's preparing to leave behind.  May God grant them all mercy and peace.

# # #

Tanker informs us (in cartoon form) how submarines are made.  (Scroll down to see the image.)

I did not know that!

# # #

Emperor Misha, better known as The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, offers hope and sage counsel concerning the decay that currently afflicts this country.  Here's a sample.

We don’t know how this phase that we’re going through will end. It could end with the utter collapse of the U.S. as we know it, to be replaced with somebody else who haven’t forgotten or even somebody else who will fail too, but in the long run it is inevitable that the values that we, The Remnant, stand for will prevail. WE may not live to see it, although we will spend every ounce of energy remaining to us making sure that we will, but we can rest assured that it will happen. Eventually.

It is inevitable. Because we hold the might, and might makes right. It’s only a matter of time.

What OUR duty is to hold on to that, to pass it on to others, those who will carry the torch when we’re gone if we fail to do it in our lifetimes, to remind everybody what it means to be free, to be The Remnant, the seed for future liberty.

If we manage THAT, we cannot fail.

There's more at the link.

# # #

Warren Meyer points out that occupational licensing is ultimately inadequate to ensure safe, efficient and effective work by people in those occupations.  True, that.

# # #

Aaron Clarey, who blogs as Captain Capitalism, analyzes the 'buzzwords' that indicate whether your job is basically worthless (and likely leftist), or something worthwhile.  It's hard for anyone with real business experience to disagree with his conclusions.

# # #

Greylocke brings us a series of 'Apolitical Aphorisms' that had me giggling.

In another article, he brings us two video clips of Mark Gungor speaking about relationships.  Sage advice, and very amusingly presented.

# # #

The Silicon Graybeard discusses the problem of grade inflation in school and university, calling it 'The College Problem You Haven't Heard Of'.  Makes sense to me.

(Speaking of college problems, I came across another blog this week called 'Law School Lemmings'.  It's all about the reasons to avoid law school, and why it won't ultimately help your career.  It's both amusing and alarming in the misdeeds and shenanigans it exposes.  Recommended reading, particularly for those considering a career in the legal field.)

# # #

The Firearm Blog reports on a modern equivalent to the World War II-vintage Welrod silenced pistol, designed for use by spies, covert agents and resistance movements.  The article links to a Danish Web site about the Welrod pistol, which contains more information about them than I've found elsewhere.  It's of particular interest to me because I've fired an original Welrod pistol from World War II, belonging to a friend in South Africa.  It's an intriguing device, and I enjoyed being able to learn more about it.

# # #

Grouchy Old Cripple's friend Ron contributes a guest article on rap 'music'.  He makes his opinion pretty clear.

Rap is entirely without redeeming social value and consistently fails to impart any insight or wisdom into the tricky business of being slightly superior to baboons on the evolutionary ladder. It is totally dependent upon street, prison, or ghetto experience for its vocabulary, which is predominantly slanguage arranged in doggerel and delivered in a monotonous thumping rhythm reminiscent of sub-Saharan mating dances.

There's more at the link.

Go on, Ron, don't hold back - tell us how you really feel!

# # #

In two articles, Karl Denninger fumes at the shenanigans of car dealers.  His first article exposes some of their tricks, particularly excess charges.  His second gives credit where credit is due, and also provides very useful advice on car-buying.  Both are highly recommended reading.

# # #

Clark, writing at Popehat, has some sober reflections on our relationships and interactions with the State.  Here's an example.

Put aside existing models of how and why the US government works and approach it as a forensic anthropology question:

• Note that the NSA, the DoD, and the State Department are regulated by the government, but regulation does not work they way one might expect.
• Note that no matter which party seems to win an election, the bureaucracy always stays in place, and has its own agenda.
• Note that elections do not create moral government or consent.
• Note that the DNA of the government is not just the Constitution, but the extended phenotype of defense oriented firms, police departments, bureaucrats, dependents, and more.
• Ask yourself if people of good will tried to reform the government in 1980, and 1990, and 2000, and 2010, and it has gotten larger and more intrustive every year, what effect people of good will trying to reform the government in 2014 will have.

There's more at the link.  Very worthwhile reading - and do please follow the links provided.  This one, from the second-to-last point above, is both enlightening and infuriating.

(In the light of the above, this might be a good time to remind ourselves of Joe Huffman's famous 'Jews In The Attic Test'.  We should apply it to any and all government regulation, to see if it passes.  If it doesn't, we need to resist that regulation with all our might.)

Also at Popehat (which is a group blog), Patrick brings us a very enlightening video clip by Harvey Silverglate titled 'The Harvard Bait & Switch'.  He examines freedom of speech and academic freedom (or rather the modern suppression thereof).  Enlightening material, particularly if you or your children are planning to attend university anytime soon.

# # #

Daddybear has some background information on the criminal 'flash mob' in Louisville last weekend (about which I wrote earlier today).  Worthwhile reading.

# # #

Finally, Scott Kelley opines that there are times 'When .22′s may be the best home defense weapons'.  I've written about a similar subject myself, so he won't get any argument from me!  I'm a firm believer in using more gun if you can manage it, but if you can't, or if a .22 weapon is all that's available, it can serve your needs.

# # #

That's all for this week.

Peter